CHEM 20Environmental Chemistry

3 credits · Chemistry · Penn State

Applications of chemistry to environmental problems, including air, water, thermal pollution; pesticides; drugs and birth control agents; food additives; etc. For non-chemistry majors; chemistry majors will not receive credit. CHEM 020 Environmental Chemistry (3) Topics include the study of air, air quality, and the effects of various substances that create air pollution. Significant detail is given to ozone and its interactions in various layers of the atmosphere. The study of fossil fuels and hydrocarbon chemistry leads to an extensive discussion of global warming. Water contamination due to acid rain and acid mine drainage is studied in conjunction with acid-base chemistry. The concept of pH is discussed in detail. Newer sources of energy including fuel cells, photovoltaic cells, biomass fuels, and nuclear energy are investigated with much consideration given to the economics of fuels. These energy topics require a study of electrochemistry, nuclear chemistry, radioactivity and organic chemistry. Biological topics of drug design, toxic substances, pesticides, genetic engineering and food safety complete the course by covering numerous aspects of organic chemistry and biochemistry. Most topics also deal with the associated analytical chemistry of the substances discussed and the challenge of sample procurement, sample preparation, chemical analysis, and result interpretation considering analytical error. Methods of chemistry data presentation to the general public are investigated and ctiticized.